An Evening With Herbie Hancock & Chick Corea (1978)

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Chick Corea, Herbie Hancock

About An Evening With Herbie Hancock & Chick Corea (1978)

An Evening With… is still compelling after 20 years. What is not lost is the superior musicianship in this recording. In 1978, during the height of Fusion, it was novel for two musicians known for their electric sensibilities to come out and play acoustically. I suspect that the majority of young listeners at the time did not realize that both pianists had lives before the musical light bulb. Those lives are well and cleverly represented here. Two standards, two Hancock originals, one Corea original, and one dually composed piece populate this recording.

Appropriately, even today, the disc begins with “Someday My Prince Will Come” that silly cartoon song rescued from obscurity by Miles Davis. Both pianists play it with a dreamy, ethereal quality. It is followed by “Liza”, which is the closest thing to a standard played as a standard on this recording. It is a nod at an older playing style before moving on to the more contemporary music. Both pianists composed “Button Up”, ostensibly for this recording and tour. — AllAboutJazz